


Caffeine and Competition

by bean_me_up



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Fluff, M/M, Romance, coffee shops with nerdy pun names, mentions of corporate espionage, rival coffee shops
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-01
Updated: 2020-07-01
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:14:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25021510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bean_me_up/pseuds/bean_me_up
Summary: Alex Manes has worked hard to build his coffee shop from the ground up.  When competition moves in across the street, a beautiful new rivalry is born.(AKA a Coffee Shop AU fic)
Relationships: Michael Guerin/Alex Manes
Comments: 24
Kudos: 148





	Caffeine and Competition

Alex sighs with irritation as the third person this morning comes in with a cup of coffee from a _shop that isn't his_. He passive-aggressively shoves his "No Outside Food or Drink" sign a little closer to the edge of the counter, then goes back to whisking the plum curd he's experimenting with. His shop is on a quiet street, across from The Writers' Block, an old bookshop that no one seems to go to, so he's not sure where his competition could be coming from.

He looks up when the bell on his front door jingles again, wondering how much further he can push the "No Outside Food or Drink" sign before it simply falls off the counter. Luckily, this new customer knows better than to bring coffee to a coffee shop, so he leaves his brother to man the till, and escapes to the kitchen.

The plum curd goes back on gentle heat, and he whisks with one hand and tastes with the other. It's sour, verging on inedible, and he resigns himself to many more test batches as he perfects the recipe. He needs to get this right, to add something new to the menu so regulars wouldn't get bored. He and Gregory had built the Coffee Plus Plus from the ground up, and he is so _so_ proud of the crumbling building they had turned into a cozy little shop. Greg's knack for decorating and charming customers into indulging in baked sweets along with their coffee, combined with Alex's culinary talents had paved the way for success, but everything else had been blood, sweat, tears, and time. So much time spent hanging fairy lights to entice writers to spend hours at their tables. So much time spent agonizing over the perfect blends of coffee served. So much time spent experimenting with their food offerings until they finally, finally started treading water, making money rather than bleeding it. The shop had been a risk. Gregory and Alex had both been at loose ends after leaving the Navy and the Air Force, respectively, and investing in a coffee shop together had seemed like a dream even long after it became a reality.

He's interrupted from both his thoughts and his whisking by his childhood friend with no regard for the 'Staff Only' sign on the door to the kitchen.

"Alex, have you heard?" Kyle Valenti's eyes are wide and he's breathing like he ran from wherever he was before deciding to interrupt Alex's culinary experimentations.

"Heard what?"

"The Writers' Block opened a coffee shop. Underneath the store, in the basement that used to be their stockroom? Grand opening was yesterday, but there was a long line even today."

"You went to another coffee shop?" Yes, the competition is going to be a problem, but Alex feels vaguely betrayed by the notion of Kyle drinking someone else's coffee.

Kyle rolls his eyes. "Is that what you got from that? I'm engaging in _corporate espionage_ for you and you think I'd drink coffee from anywhere else?"

Alex pulls his plum curd off the heat, not wanting the eggs to scramble. "Okay, point taken. What's the place like?"

"So, you know how _literally_ no one goes to Writers' Block because they don't carry a single popular book? Like, last Christmas I was shopping for my cousin's kid and Writers' Block had no YA novels. None! Because apparently dusty old Russian Lit is where it's at and the rest of the world is wrong for wanting books about teenagers overthrowing governments."

Alex hums in agreement. "I've only met the guy who runs the place a couple of times, but he's alarmingly resistant to books written past 1925."

Kyle nods. "Anyway, apparently he's roped in his brother now, who's running the coffee place downstairs. And I can't lie to you, man, the place is _cool_."

"Cool?" Alex raises a single eyebrow.

Kyle looks inquisitively into the pink bowl of plum curd and pouts when Alex pulls the bowl away. "It's sort of old school, leather chairs and record players and vintage stuff everywhere. And this _huge_ space mural on one of their walls. Haven't tried the coffee though." He tries to swipe a finger through the concoction Alex is still whisking. "I bet it's good. The man behind the counter looked like he knew what he was doing."

Alex's whisking turns a bit more vicious. "So no hope of burnt espresso and lukewarm lattes running the place into the ground?"

Kyle shakes his head. "I thought about buying a cup, y'know for _espionage_ purposes, but it felt like I was cheating."

Alex sighs and reaches for a clean tasting spoon. Well, at least he's got one loyal customer.

* * *

Alex spends the rest of the day experimenting with his plum curd recipe, and starts playing around with his proportions for lemon scones in the meantime. He can't do anything about his competition but he can certainly improve his own menu. As closing rolls around, he feels a little guilty for having stuck Gregory at the counter by himself all day, so he shoves him out the door and promises to handle all the cleaning and locking up. By the time the counters are sparkling, the floors are swept, and the cash register's been taken care of, it's late, the sun setting and casting a warm orange glow through the shop. Alex sits at a table, nibbling at a scone as he jots down notes in his recipe book. A knock on the door startles him, and he looks up to see an unfamiliar man in a cowboy hat waving.

"We're closed!" Alex calls out, hoping he can be heard through the window.

"What?" Apparently not. He makes his way to the door, and opens it a crack to repeat himself.

"We're closed. We open at 7 if you want to come back."

The man looks Alex up and down and he fights the urge to fidget. "I'm not here for coffee," he smirks. "Figured I should introduce myself to the competition."

Alex straightens. "Alex. Manes. You?" He doesn't hold out his hand to shake.

Turns out he didn't need to because the man _tips his hat_ and says, "Michael Guerin." He breezes right past Alex into the shop. "I like the place. Bet it's real popular with the local artsy types. My brother not included, of course. He does all his writing in the attic of the shop. On an honest to God typewriter."

Alex is at a loss. Not only did his competition have the audacity to come size him up, he's walking around the shop like he owns the place. He opens his mouth to tell him to leave, but Michael has started making a slow round of the shop, looking at all the art on the walls like he's in a gallery. "This painting's cool. Who's the artist?"

"Trade secret." He hopes Rosa will forgive him the lost commission opportunity.

Michael blinks at the non-answer, then grins slowly. "Is that how this is going to be? You disappoint me, Manes." He walks -- _struts_ , Alex corrects mentally, because isn't just his luck that he get competition from a swaggery asshole who thinks he's entitled to judge everything Alex has built. He _struts_ over to the table Alex had abandoned and raises an eyebrow at the plate of scones on the table. "Guess I better check out the competition." He _steals a scone_ right off the plate, then stuffs half of it in his mouth, _winks_ at Alex, and swaggers off into the night.

* * *

Michael turns up again three days later, just after closing, with a bag of chocolate chip cookies in hand. "Payback for the scone."

Alex steps out of his shop this time, leaning against the closed door. "How do I know you didn't poison it? Get rid of the competition?"

Michael gapes at him, then opens the bag and shoves his hand in. "For fuck's sake." He pulls out a cookie and takes a demonstratively large bite. "Look, still standing. Happy?"

Alex smirks, feeling like he's gotten the upper hand for once, and takes the bag back, pulling a cookie out. "Very." He takes a bite and chews thoughtfully. "Could have used a darker chocolate. Less sweet. More flavor." Any further thoughts fly right out of his head as Michael finishes his cookie and proceeds to _lick_ a smear of melted chocolate off his finger.

"I'll keep that in mind."

* * *

The next time they see each other, it's 5 AM. Alex is just getting into work, and Michael's out in front of Writers' Block, signing off on a shipment. Coffee beans by the looks of it. Alex is duty-bound to investigate.

Michael looks up as Alex crosses the street. "Nuh uh. I know what you're here for."

Alex does his best impression of an innocent face. "What do you mean?"

"My blend's proprietary and you will not be getting anywhere near it."

"You think I can recreate your blend by looking at crates of coffee beans?"

Michael walks closer, slowly, deliberately, until they're practically toe-to-toe and Alex is wondering where all the oxygen went. "Never under estimate your enemy," he says, narrowing his eyes. Alex can't look away.

"Michael!" Alex snaps back into his brain at the sound of Max's voice. "Need a hand?"

Michael turns his head toward the voice, then back to Alex. He tips his hat and whirls around to grab his shipment and go inside.

Alex stands still on the sidewalk for a moment before turning on his heel and going back to Coffee Plus Plus.

* * *

Alex is pleased with himself. The shop had been busy today, a local concert bringing people in looking for coffee and snacks before the show, and in the scant breaks in the crowds, Alex had perfected his salted caramel, perfect for fall lattes and hot chocolates. He finishes sweeping then sits down at a table to finish up his recipe notes. He looks up at a knock on the door to see Michael, holding up a brown paper bag.

"You can't bribe me for my coffee blend," he says by way of greeting as he lets Michael into the shop.

Michael rolls his eyes. "I've been experimenting with the recipe so now I have five dozen brownies cluttering my very limited counter space. _Plus_ these are dark chocolate."

Alex shouldn't accept the gift. He should shove Michael out the door and focus on his coffee shop and quit letting his competition in after hours. Alex is weak for dark chocolate. "I'll grab plates." He starts walking toward the kitchen, then pivots on his heel to point threateningly at Michael. " _Don't_ touch my recipe book." He comes back with plates, forks, and a little jar with his newest batch of salted caramel.

Michael grins when he comes back. "Don't worry, I behaved myself." He opens the jar and pours a liberal helping of caramel over his brownie, then takes a bite and _moans_ in a way Alex is pretty sure is illegal. "This is _incredible_. Here try it." He spears a chunk of brownie with his fork and holds it out to Alex.

Alex is entirely unsure when he and his business rival arrived at the _feeding each other_ stage of their relationship, but he's not exactly sure what else he can do in this situation, so he leans forward and takes the bite. "Damn. That's really good."

Michael leans back in his chair, smirking. "Shame we're in competition."

Alex doesn't really know how to respond to that.

* * *

Somehow, Michael visiting Coffee Plus Plus after hours becomes a regular occurrence, often armed with some new confection. Alex should probably be worried about how good Michael is at baking, but it's kind of nice to eat sweets he didn't make himself. Today, it's vegan carrot cake cupcakes.

"You know," Michael starts, unwrapping a cupcake, "You've never actually come by Writer's Block. Should I be hurt?"

Alex rolls his eyes. "I can't be seen in another coffee establishment." He takes a bite of cake. "This is really good!"

Michael's "thanks" is mumbled around about half a cupcake stuffed in his mouth. He manages to smear icing all over his face, and without a thought, Alex leans over to wipe it off. They both freeze. Alex sits down quickly and wipes his hands on his napkin. Michael clears his throat.

"Well, if you ever do want to check out the competition for yourself, you know where I'm at."

* * *

Alex lasts an entire week before he finally caves and crosses the street. It's still early in the morning, so the Writers' Block Coffee Bar is fairly empty. Michael lights up when he sees him.

"Alex!"

Alex walks up to the counter to lean against it. "So, now that I'm here, do I get to try your blend?"

Michael glares at him, then leans over the counter a little threateningly. "You know what, I got nothing to hide. Coffee'll be ready in a minute."

Alex stares after him as he goes to make the drink. He looks around as Michael works. The mural on the far wall, running the length of the shop is beautiful, depicting glowing stars on an inky blue backdrop. Alex is looking for a constellation he can recognize when Michael calls his name, shoving a to-go cup at him from the pick up area.

Alex frowns a little. Everyone else in the shop has a ceramic mug in hand, part of Michael's efforts to reduce waste. Did the to-go cup mean Michael was telling him to leave?

"Alex," Michael calls again. "Come on, I thought you wanted to taste the best cup of coffee you'll ever have."

Alex walks up to the counter. "I already had a cup of that this morning. I'm here to try _your_ coffee."

Michael rolls his eyes. "Alright, coffee first, sass me later."

Alex picks up the cup, turning it in his hands to look at the design when he freezes. Michael's written his phone number on the side of the cup. He looks up from the cup and Michael winks. Alex takes a sip and grins. He could get used to Michael making him coffee.


End file.
